Internal-combustion engine.



M. E. KNIGHT.

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION PlLFU 00130, 1911.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

MARGARET E. KNIGHT, oF SOUTH FRAM DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To

NEW YORK.

INGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY K-D MOTOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

original application led July 8. 1911, Serial No. 637,508. Divided and this application filed October 80,

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARGARET E. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing in South Framingham, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following description, in connection witlrthe accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and is embodied in novel means for disposing of the exhaust gases, the invention being shown as applied to an internal combustion engine shown and described by me in a prior application, Serial Number 637,508, led by me July 8, 1911, of which the present application is a division. It is to be understood, however,

that while the present invention is shown as used in conjunction with the engine set forth and described in the application afore said, it may be applied to internal combustion engines of othertypes and is not limited to any specific details of construction by which it is adapted for use in the engine shown.

In accordance with the invention, the exhaust gases are discharged into a chamber provided with a free, but somewhat restricted outlet, and the said chamber is adapted to be progressively enlarged in capacity as the space behind the piston from which the gases are escaping becomes smaller, so that the gases are free to expand and give up heat before reaching the atmosphere. As a convenient expedient, a p0rtion of the engine cylinder may be utilized as the chamber of varying capacity, and, as herein shown, the cylinder is approximately closed at its outer end, or end throng which the piston rod or equivalent power transmitting device extends to the driven member, there being, however, a small inlet and outlet from the space between the piston and the closed end of the cylinder, so that the said closed space may be adapted to receive the exhaust gases and allow them to escape from the outlet. As the exhaust of the gases takes place during the instroke of the piston. it is obvious that the space thus inclosed will constitute a chamber which enlarges as the piston travels back, the extent of enlargement corresponding Serial No. 657,501.

to the extent of diminution of the space from which the gases are escaping, since the piston constitutes the means for enlarging one space and correspondingly diminishing the other. The gases are thus free to expand in the receiving chamber, thereby compensating for the back pressure in the space from which they are being driven.

A further feature of the invention consists 1n providing the engine with means whereby a small amount of Water oan be injected or sprayed into the exhaust passage while the exhaust gases are passing through, thereby assisting in cooling the gases before they escape to the atmosphere.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in sectlon. of an engine embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, taken on a plane at a right angle to that of Fig. 1.

The engine herein shown is of the fourcycle type, having a cylinder l provided with a piston 2, the cylinder 1 beingshown as inclosed at the outer end by a flange 3 which has a guide 4 through which extends a piston rod 5 which can be connected with the driving shaft in any suitable or usual way. In the construction shown, the said piston rod is connected with a Scotch yoke 6, shown in dotted lines, to the crank 7, 'through which the shaft 8 is rotated.

The flange 3 is shown as provided With a water-space 9 for cooling, said space being adapted to be connected With the Water jacket in any suitable or usual way and is also provided with a transverse passage, the ends of which constitute inlet and outlet ports 10 and 12 for the exhaust gases.

The engine, which operates in the usual way, is shown as provided with, the exhaust port 18 suitably controlled as by the slide valve 14, the said exhaust port communieating through an inelosed duet. such as that afforded by the pipe 15, with the inlet 10, so that the gases passing into the said inlet 10 go through a transverse passage, a part of which constitutes an annular' space around the piston rod guide which is smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the cylinder. and thence out through the outlet 12. The exhaust gases. therefore, are free to enter the cylinder below the piston during the instroke of said piston, thus having an opportunity to expand before finally reaching the atmosphere.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing the engine with means for spraying water into the exhaust space, for the purpose of assisting in cooling the gases. In the construction shown, the engine is pro\ ided with a pump 1li adapted to he driven by the ,engine as from a shaft 17 having a crank 18 connected through a itman 15) with the pump piston rod 20. he shaft 17 is driven through a gear 21 and is so timed as to force water into its outlet pipe 22 during the exhaust stroke of the piston 2. The pipe 22 terminates in a jet 23 which enters the exhaust space, the said jet being shown as entering the coupling through which the pipe 15 communicates with the inlet passage 10. While any source of water may be utilized, I have herein shown the pump 16 as communicating through a pipe 24 with the Water jacket Space around the cylinder head, so that the same. supply of water is used in external ,and internal cooling.

While the construction shown and described constitutes a convenient and practicable embodiment of the invention, it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific construction chosen for purposes of illustration, since modifications may obviously be made without departing from the invention.

What I claim is:

In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder and single acting piston, the cylinder being provided with inlet and exhaust ports and valves controlling said ports respectively; of a piston and piston rod; a closure for the bottom of the cylinder, said closure being provided with ports in communication respectively with the atmosphere and with 'the exhaust passage from the cylinder; and ay guide for the piston forming a art of said closure and extending into t eV cylinder concentric therewith. l

In testimony whereof,v I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MARGARET E. KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. RoUzEE, STEPHEN A. WHi'rE. 

